They watched the police-court proceedings against Harborough and saw, with infinite relief, that nothing transpired which seemed inimical to themselves.

They watched the proceedings at the inquest held on Kitely; they, too, yielded nothing that could attract attention in the way they dreaded.

When several days had gone by and the police investigations seemed to have settled down into a concentrated purpose against the suspected man, both Mallalieu and Cotherstone believed themselves safe from discovery--their joint secret appeared to be well buried with the old detective.

But the secret was keenly and vividly alive in their own hearts, and when Mallalieu faced the truth he knew that he suspected Cotherstone, and when Cotherstone put things squarely to himself he knew that he suspected Mallalieu.

And the two men got to eyeing each other furtively, and to addressing each other curtly, and when they happened to be alone there was a heavy atmosphere of mutual dislike and suspicion between them.
It was a strange psychological fact that though these men had been partners for a period covering the most important part of their lives, they had next to nothing in common.